Birds of a Feather: Field Notes and Portraits

Blending beautiful illustrations, guidebook facts and spirited memoir, Birds of a Feather shares the delightful charm of backyard birds—and reminds us that even birds of ordinary feathers are worth protecting.

Every stray feather was once shed by a bird—and for every feather he’s found near his home on Salt Spring Island, naturalist Don Gunn has a story about the species it belongs to. In Birds of a Feather, Gunn weaves together personal anecdotes, natural history and elegant illustrations to create a colourful portrait of North America’s backyard birds. Whether he’s fending off a great-horned owl attack, attempting to lure in a troublesome peacock with a penchant for cheese, or simply enjoying the antics of the sparrows, thrushes and juncos at his bird feeder, Gunn captures the lively spirit of his feathered neighbours with the passion of a long-time birder.

Birds of a Feather combines scientific facts with Gunn’s own, often surprising avian encounters on Salt Spring Island where he now lives and from his childhood in Scotland. Guided by the feathers he’s found as he wanders the forests and shoreline, he reflects on the rapid changes to bird habitat and behaviour he’s noticed over decades of observation. The gradual disappearance of owls, herons, grouse and other species from Salt Spring Island serves as a reminder of the effects human activity can have on nature—but not all is yet lost. At once an appreciation for birds of all feathers and a call to connect with and protect the natural world, Birds of a Feather invites readers to slow down and notice the birdsong carrying through the trees, the flutter of wings above and the feathers that drift down to rest on the ground.

“Finding a feather and trying to identify its owner is opening a door to the natural world. This beautiful book will help you to understand the amazing beauty and function of your found feather. You will never take a feather for granted again.”

“Donald Gunn’s lavishly illustrated book is also a call to arms... Please enjoy this book, become aware and help protect what remains of our wonderful natural heritage.”